A woman from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, has been charged with stealing nearly $24,000 from an elderly man she was hired to care for, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said Tasha Williams, 45, of Arnold, faces charges including financial exploitation of an older adult, theft, and receiving stolen property.
The case began after the Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging alerted police to suspicious activity on the victim’s bank account. Investigators determined that the fraudulent transactions occurred over the past year — during the same period Williams had been providing care for the man.
According to investigators, the victim told police he had temporarily given Williams access to his banking information so she could help manage some of his personal care and financial tasks.
The victim also owned several local rental properties, and Williams had been tasked with assisting with tenant deposits, authorities said.
Police also learned the man had recently received a new iPhone, but he reported he was only able to answer incoming calls because Williams had set up a passcode and monitored his phone activity.
Williams also had access to the victim’s secondary residence. When officers inspected the property, they found jewelry boxes emptied and rummaged through, with several items missing.
Investigators later determined that Williams had pawned more than $6,800 worth of jewelry, including pieces belonging to the victim and his late wife.
In addition, authorities discovered fraudulent withdrawals totaling more than $17,000 from the victim’s bank accounts. The transactions included payments to car insurance companies, electronics retailers, and jewelry businesses.
In total, police said Williams is accused of stealing approximately $23,850 from the victim.
The investigation remains ongoing as the case proceeds through the court system.
